U.S. Highway 9

U.S. 9 comprises one of the several east-west routes in Sussex County. Until 1974, the alignment of U.S. 9 was apart of Delaware 28 between Laurel and Georgetown and Delaware 18 from Georgetown to Five Points, while U.S. 9 ended in Cape May, New Jersey. As approved by AASHTO on June 25, 1974, U.S. 9 was extended across Delaware Bay via the Cape May-Lewes Ferry to Lewes and the aforementioned routes west southwest to U.S. 13 at Laurel.

U.S. 13 (Sussex Highway) north at the eastbound beginning of U.S. 9. Photo taken January 16, 2017.

U.S. 9 (County Seat Highway) branches northeast from U.S. 13 at the town of Laurel along a rural route 12.7 miles to Georgetown. Delaware 20 intersects the US highway midway between the two towns at Hardscrabble. East from U.S. 113, U.S. 9 takes Market Street to Downtown Georgetown, where a roundabout at Bedford Street connects the route with Delaware 18 & 404.

The western terminus of U.S. 9 at U.S. 13 in Laurel. Photo taken January 16, 2017.

Leading away from Georgetown, U.S. 9 & Delaware 404 advance eastward along a rural drive to Delaware 30 at Gravel Hill and Delaware 5 at Harbeson. Development increases along the highway eastward to Cool Spring and Five Points, where U.S. 9 turns onto Delaware 1 south for a 1.1 mile overlap.

U.S. 9 partitions with U.S. 9 Business at Five Points as Delaware 404 concludes the multi-state route started in Wye Mills, Maryland. U.S. 9 Business, designated by 1976 per the Delaware Official Highway Map, follows Savannah Road northeast from Five Points to Cape Henlopen Drive through Lewes. U.S. 9 travels just to the south along a combination of Kings Highway and Theo C. Freeman Memorial Highway to Cape Henlopen Drive and the Cape May Lewes Ferry landing.